Thursday, January 29, 2009

OK, so it's only new to me, but it's exciting to learn a new technique. I had seen photos of tapestry crochet on Ravelry, and it can be really beautiful. There are some gorgeous mandalas and colourwork pieces. Check out the Tapestry Crochet group if you're a Raveler, or the Tapestry Crochet site.

My first attempt was the Kitty Bag, and the first row of kitties was waaaaay slanted! I figured out what I was doing wrong and the second row was correct. But I didn't learn, because the pattern slanted in my next project too! Luckily, I had more yarn, so I immediately started again and did the colourwork correctly.

Here's the final version:

I am excited to try some more interesting colour combinations! This was a stash-busting/technique-learning endeavour.

Class was great. We're working on choreography for an Om Kalthoum song. I'm a little lost since I missed class the past 2 weeks, but I'll catch up! :) In rehearsal, we worked on zylls and ran through all our choreographies, which was fun, then we polished up the class choreography a bit.

Friday night: I went to a house party and danced till 4 am. (house music in a club, not a party at someone's house) It was so much fun! It doesn't really count as "dance practice" but it was great to just let loose and dance without thinking about technique or posture or stage presence. I'll count it as 1 hour. :)

On Wednesday afternoon, I was attacked by a migraine and was fully out of commission for a day and a half. I missed belly dance class and troupe rehearsal for the second week in a row. Gah! I haven't felt that terrible since I got my first migraine/tension headache in university, and that was ahem a number of years ago.

But I am back to my regular, semi-lively self. And back to posting about my thrilling belly dance rehab haha. And I have some fibre related posts too!

Now that I'm getting to know the steps for the Virginia choreography, I want to start refining it. My plan is to video myself and then critique it - scary! I feel sloppy dancing it, so I imagine it looks pretty bad.

I've also been thinking about how I can make dancing more fun... what do I want out of it, and how can I get it?

Monday, January 19, 2009

Kathak is a dance form from northern India, and Joanna has been studying it for 30 years. She is so knowledgeable and I felt like a sponge trying to soak up what she was teaching us. There is so much to learn! It was an amazing workshop and although I didn't come away with any specific moves to incorporate into belly dance, I have a new appreciation for another art form. (but not a new obsession - only one at a time please!)

Saturday, January 17, 2009

I've totally been slacking off this week. :( I didn't go to class or troupe practice on Wednesday, and although I was planning to work through a DVD or do something on my own, I didn't. Very bad.

Today was better - I wouldn't say that I'm back on track, but I did something and that's better than nothing. Actually, it's a very decent something!

private lesson with Roula - we talked about the different elements of a set and listened to music, then picked out an opening song to choreograph (1.5 hrs).

I spent about an hour choreographing. And it's only the first few bars! I was trying to figure out footwork, which directions to turn, and practiced with the veil.

Lately I feel like I'm all in my head, thinking and planning, and I don't feel like moving and getting into my body. At Roula's I was quite happy to sit and take notes. Uh, this is supposed to be a belly dance lesson!

I'm going to a Kathak workshop tomorrow, so I'd better get out of my head and get moving...

Monday, January 12, 2009

I was (still am) sick, and we didn't practise very intensely, but we went over some choreography yesterday afternoon. I hope to do Michelle's Joyce's Drills! Drills! Drills! dvd today, which I finally received in the mail. :)

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Troupe practice seems to be getting shorter, and yet I feel more tired. Actually, my body feels beaten up - I might be overdoing it with the belly dance rehab. :\ Maybe I'll take a rest day tomorrow, or just take it easy.

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Another Youtube find: Part one. This version is better produced than the first NYC Ballet Workout, which I borrowed from the library on VHS. The narration is more clear and he cues right/left so that you can mirror the dancers on screen. (in Volume 1, the narrator switched between cuing your left and the dancer's left and it was confusing.) It's a nice workout, and I'm really considering buying the DVD.

Back in July, Bohoknitterchic started organizing a project to knit/crochet an afghan for Madam Knit Girl, the lovely lady who started the Bad Knit Girls group. I was honoured to be given a chance to participate! I ended up knitting three squares:

Anchor, inspired by a design in Nicky Epstein's Knitted Embellishments:

Monday, January 05, 2009

I was really tired today after yesterday's yoga class and extended dance session, but mustered the energy to go to Saba's class and I'm glad I did. It was fun! And they had free VHS tapes available, so I nabbed a drum solo video by Yasmina. :) Afterward E. and I went for falafel, which is always a great way to end the evening!

Sunday, January 04, 2009

I totally skipped day 3 - no belly dance or other workouts! I organized my dance and choreography notes, if that counts... um no, it doesn't count. BUT I made up for it today! I actually got up in time to go to yoga classs and I practiced with E. for 2.5 hours!!

Thursday, January 01, 2009

I have 12 new year's resolutions, and so far I've worked on two of them: I did some yoga today and I finished reading a book! I don't know if I'll count the book, since I read most of it in 2008. Hmm who am I kidding, of course I'll count it! It was The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, and I borrowed it from T-man's mom while we were visiting for Christmas.

Another resolution is to reduce the time that I waste on the internet, and on that note, I am off to do something useful!